Card printing using thermal transfer print ribbon with radiation curable ink

ABSTRACT

A thermal transfer print ribbon having radiation curable ink thereon is used to print on a surface of a plastic card. The use of radiation curable thermal transfer printing to print on the card surface increases the durability of the printing compared to regular (i.e. non-radiation cured) thermal transfer printing once the radiation curable ink is cured. As a result, a protective laminate or coating need not be applied to the card surface to protect the printing.

FIELD

This description relates to printing on surfaces of plastic or compositecards such as financial (e.g., credit, debit, or the like) cards,driver's licenses, national identification cards, businessidentification cards, gift cards, and other plastic or composite cardswhich bear personalized data unique to the cardholder and/or which bearother card information.

BACKGROUND

It is known to apply a protective laminate or coating to the frontsurface of a personalized plastic card to protect the printing on thefront surface and extend the life of the plastic card. The back surfaceof the plastic card includes features such as a magnetic stripe, asignature panel and/or a hologram patch that cannot be overlaid with aprotective laminate or coating since the protective laminate or coatingwould interfere with the operation or performance of the magneticstripe, signature panel and/or a hologram patch. Therefore, if aprotective laminate or coating is applied to the back surface, theprotective laminate or coating only covers a portion of the back surfaceand does not cover the magnetic stripe, the signature panel and/or thehologram patch.

Printing on the surfaces of a plastic card using drop-on-demand (DOD)printing with ultra-violet (UV) curable ink is known. Once cured, the UVcurable ink is more durable than conventional ink applied from a thermaltransfer print ribbon.

SUMMARY

Apparatus, systems and methods are described where a thermal transferprint ribbon having radiation curable ink is used to print on a surfaceof a plastic or composite card such as a financial (e.g., credit, debit,or the like) card, driver's license, national identification card,business identification card, gift card, and other plastic or compositecards which bear personalized data unique to or assigned specifically tothe cardholder and/or which bear other card information. The term“plastic card” as used herein is intended to encompass cards that arecompletely or substantially plastic, as well as cards that havenon-plastic or composite components and cards having other formulationsthat function like the card types indicated above. Cards that areencompassed by the term “plastic cards” often bear printed personalizeddata unique to or assigned specifically to the cardholder, such as thename of the cardholder, an account number, an image of the face of thecardholder, and other data.

The use of radiation curable thermal transfer printing to print on thecard surface increases the durability of the printing compared toregular (i.e. non-radiation curable) thermal transfer printing. As aresult, a protective laminate or coating need not be applied to the cardsurface to protect the printing, in which case the card surface isdevoid of (i.e. does not include) a protective laminate over the cardsurface. However, a protective laminate can optionally be used.

In one embodiment, the radiation curable thermal transfer printing isused to print on the back surface of the card. In another embodiment,the radiation curable thermal transfer printing is used to print on thefront surface of the card, either in addition to or separate from anyradiation curable thermal transfer printing on the back surface.

The radiation curable ink on the thermal transfer print ribbon can bepigment-based or dye-based. However, any type of radiation curablecolorant material can be used as long as the radiation curable colorantmaterial can be disposed on the thermal transfer print ribbon, can bethermally transferred from the ribbon to the card surface using athermal printhead, and once transferred to the card surface can be curedby applying radiation to the colorant material. In one embodiment, theradiation curable ink can be cured by UV radiation. However, other typesof radiation can be used as long as the radiation can adequately curethe applied radiation curable ink.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a front surface of a plastic card.

FIG. 1B illustrates an example of a back surface of the plastic card.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a plastic cardprinting system described herein.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a plasticcard printing system described herein.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of still another embodiment of aportion of a plastic card printing system described herein.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a thermaltransfer print station described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described in further detail below, a thermal transfer print ribbonhaving radiation curable ink is used to print on a surface of a plasticor composite card such as a financial (e.g., credit, debit, or the like)card, driver's license, national identification card, businessidentification card, gift card, and other plastic or composite cardswhich bear personalized data unique to or assigned specifically to thecardholder and/or which bear other card information. In one embodiment,the radiation curable ink can be cured by exposing the ink to UVradiation. However, the radiation curable ink can be of a type that iscured by other forms of radiation. Examples of other forms of radiationthat could be used can include, but are not limited to, microwave,x-ray, e-beam, visible light, infrared, and the like.

Examples of thermal transfer print ribbons with radiation curable inksare disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,850,263, 6,853,394 and 6,476,840 eachof which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The radiation curable ink on the thermal transfer print ribbon can bepigment-based or dye-based. However, any type of radiation curablecolorant material can be used as long as the radiation curable colorantmaterial can be disposed on the thermal transfer print ribbon, can bethermally transferred from the ribbon to the card surface using athermal printhead, and once transferred to the card surface can be curedby applying radiation to the colorant material on the card surface.

The thermal transfer print ribbon can be a monochrome ribbon where theradiation curable ink can be a single color such as, but not limited to,black or white. In another embodiment, the thermal transfer print ribboncan be a multi-color ribbon with a repeating sequence of colored panels,such as a YMCK print ribbon, where the radiation curable ink can beyellow, magenta, cyan and black.

The term “plastic card” as used herein is intended to encompass cardsthat are completely or substantially plastic, as well as cards that havenon-plastic or composite components and cards having other formulationsthat function like the card types indicated above. Cards that areencompassed by the term “plastic cards” often bear printed personalizeddata unique to or assigned specifically to the cardholder, such as thename of the cardholder, an account number, an image of the face of thecardholder, and other data.

In some embodiments, the concepts described herein can be used onplastic financial cards. A financial card, which may also be referred toas a credit card or a debit card, as used herein refers to a type ofcard that allows the cardholder to borrow funds or that has a storedmonetary value. A financial card typically has at least a cardholdername and an account number provided thereon, often by printing. Afinancial card may also have an integrated circuit chip that stores datarelating to the card and/or a magnetic stripe that stores data relatingto the card.

The printing described herein can be performed in any suitable plasticcard printing system that has one or more thermal transfer printstations each having a thermal printhead. In one embodiment, the thermaltransfer print station(s), as well as the plastic card printing systemas a whole, has a card throughput of at least about 1500 cards per hour.

One example of a suitable plastic card printing system that can be usedis referred to as a central issuance card processing system that istypically designed for large volume batch processing of plastic cards,often employing multiple processing stations or modules to processmultiple plastic cards at the same time to reduce the overall per cardprocessing time. Examples of central issuance card processing systemsinclude the MX and MPR family of central issuance systems available fromEntrust Datacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn. Other examples ofcentral issuance systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,825,054,5,266,781, 6,783,067, and 6,902,107, all of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

Another example of a suitable plastic card printing system that can beused is referred to as a desktop card processing system that istypically designed for relatively small scale, individual plastic cardprocessing. In desktop processing systems, a single plastic card to beprocessed is input into the system, processed, and then output. Thesesystems are often termed desktop machines or desktop printers becausethey have a relatively small footprint intended to permit the machine toreside on a desktop. Many examples of desktop machines are known, suchas the SD or CD family of desktop card machines available from EntrustDatacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn. Other examples of desktop cardmachines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,434,728 and 7,398,972, eachof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Referring initially to FIG. 1A, an example plastic card 10 having afront surface 12 is illustrated. Many possible layouts for the frontsurface 12 are possible. For example, the front surface 12 can includeaccount information, a horizontal card layout, a vertical card layout,and other known layout configurations and orientations.

In the illustrated example in FIG. 1A, the front surface 12 can includefirst printed data 14 and second printed data 16. The first printed data14 can include information on the entity that issued the card 10, suchas the corporate name and/or logo of the issuing bank (for example,STATE BANK) or the card brand name (for example, VISA®, MASTERCARD®,DISCOVER®, etc.). The second printed data 16 can be, for example, thecard brand name (for example, VISA®, MASTERCARD®, DISCOVER®, etc.). Thefront surface 12 may also include a contact or contactless integratedcircuit chip 18 that can store various data relating to the card 10 suchas an account number or name of the cardholder. In addition, the frontsurface 12 may also optionally include printed or embossed cardholderdata 20 such as the cardholder name and/or an account information suchas account number, expiration date and the like.

Referring to FIG. 1B, an example of a back surface 22 of the plasticcard 10 is illustrated. Many possible layouts for the back surface 22are possible which may or may not have a similar layout as the frontsurface 12. For example, the back surface 22 can include accountinformation, a horizontal card layout, a vertical card layout, and otherknown layout configurations and orientations.

In the illustrated example in FIG. 1B, the back surface 22 can include amagnetic strip 24 that stores various data relating to the card 10 suchas an account number or name of the cardholder, a signature panel 26that provides a place for the cardholder to sign their name, and ahologram 28. The magnetic strip 24, the signature panel 26, and thehologram 28 are conventional elements found on many plastic cards.

The back surface 22 can also include printed personal data that isunique to or assigned specifically to the cardholder. For example, anaccount number 30 assigned to the cardholder, the name of the cardholder32, and a card expiration date 34 can be printed on the back surface 22.Other personal cardholder data may also be printed on the back surface22, such as an image of the face of the cardholder. Non-personal data 36such as name of the issuing bank, contact information to contact theissuing bank, and the like, can also be printed on the back surface 22.

Referring to FIG. 1B, the printing 30, 32, 34 can be located on the backsurface 22 at a position between the magnetic stripe 24 and a bottomedge 90 of the plastic card 10. The printing 30, 32, 34 may also becharacterized as being located between the signature panel 26 and thebottom edge 90 of the plastic card 10, as well as characterized as beinglocated on the back surface 22 at a position so that the signature panel26 is disposed between the magnetic stripe 24 and the radiation curedink forming the printing 30, 32, 34.

The printed data 30, 32, 34, 36 on the back surface 22 and/or theprinted data 14, 16, 20 on the front surface 12 is printed using aradiation curable ink applied from a thermal transfer print ribbon. Oncethe data is printed and the radiation curable ink is cured usingsuitable radiation such as UV radiation, the printed data has superiorabrasion resistance compared to data that is printed using standard(i.e. non-radiation curable) ink from a thermal transfer ribbon. Theabrasion resistance is sufficient to permit the plastic card 10 to beissued to the cardholder without a protective laminate or coatingapplied to the back surface 22 and/or to the front surface 12. In otherwords, the back surface 22 and/or the front surface 12 can be without ordevoid of a protective laminate or coating overlaying the printed data.

In one embodiment, the printed data printed using the radiation curableink has an abrasion resistance value of at least about 400 cycles whichabrasion resistance value is suitable for plastic cards such asfinancial cards. In another embodiment, the printed data printed usingthe radiation curable ink has an abrasion resistance value of betweenabout 600-800 cycles. In still another embodiment, the printed dataprinted using the radiation curable ink has an abrasion resistance valueof about 800 cycles. All abrasion resistance values disclosed herein aremeasured by the American National Standards For Information Technology,INCITS 322: 201x, Card Durability Test Methods (Revision of INCITS322:2008), Section 5.11, August 2014.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of one embodiment of a plastic cardprinting system 40 that can be used to print on and optionallyadditionally process the plastic card 10. In this example, the system 40can include a card input 42, an optional magnetic stripe station 44, anoptional integrated circuit chip station 46, a thermal transfer printstation 48, a card flipper 50 (or card reorienting mechanism), aradiation curing station 52, and a card output 54. As discussed above,the elements 42-54 in the system 40 can be part of a central issuancecard processing system or part of a desktop card processing system. Theelements 42-54 can be separate stations or modules, or thefunctionalities of one or more of the elements 42-54 can be combinedinto what may be considered a common station or module with the otherelements.

The card input 42 can be a card input hopper designed to hold aplurality of cards waiting to be fed on-by-one into the system 40 forprocessing. An example of a card input hopper is described in U.S. Pat.No. 6,902,107 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Alternatively, the card input 42 can be an input slot through whichindividual cards are fed one-by-one into the system 40.

The magnetic stripe station 44 is optional. If present, the magneticstripe station 44 can verify the operation of the magnetic stripe 24 onthe back surface 22 of the card 10 and/or program the magnetic stripe 24with data. An example of a magnetic stripe station is described in U.S.Pat. No. 6,902,107 which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

The integrated circuit chip station 46 is also optional, and if present,is designed to verify the operation of the chip 18 on the card 10 and/orprogram the chip 18 with data. The chip station 46 can include a singlechip programming station for programming a single card at a time withinthe station 46, or the station 46 can be configured to simultaneouslyprogram multiple cards. A chip station having simultaneous, multiplecard programming is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,205 (linearcassette configuration) and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,238 (barrelconfiguration) each of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

The magnetic stripe station 44 and the integrated circuit chip station46 can be located anywhere in the system 40 between the input 42 and theoutput 54. The example in FIG. 2 illustrates the magnetic stripe station44 and the integrated circuit chip station 46 between the input 42 andthe thermal transfer print station 48 since if it is determined in thestations 44, 46 that the magnetic stripe 24 and/or the chip 18 are notfunctioning correctly, then the plastic card 10 can be immediatelydirected to a reject location since further processing on the defectiveplastic card 10 is not necessary.

The thermal transfer print station 48 is configured to apply theradiation curable ink from a thermal transfer print ribbon onto asurface of the plastic card 10 using thermal transfer printing. Anexample of the thermal transfer print station 48 is illustrated in FIG.5. The thermal transfer print station 48 includes a ribbon supply 60that supplies a thermal transfer print ribbon 62 having radiationcurable ink, and a ribbon take-up 64 that takes-up used portions of thethermal transfer print ribbon after printing. The print ribbon 62 istransferred along a ribbon path between the ribbon supply 60 and theribbon take-up 64 past a thermal printhead 66 that can be moved towardand away from an opposing fixed platen 68 to sandwich the print ribbon62 and the card 10 therebetween during printing. Alternatively, theplaten 68 can be movable toward and away from the printhead 66 which canbe stationary. The card 10 can be transported in both forward andreverse directions (as indicated by the arrow A) along a transport path70 through the print station 48 using conventional card transportmechanisms such as transport rollers. The general construction andoperation of thermal transfer print stations is well known in the art.

Returning to FIG. 2, the card flipper 50 is configured to flip the card10 180 degrees so that a surface thereof previously facing upward nowfaces downward and vice versa. Card flippers are well known in the art.Examples of suitable card flippers are described in U.S. 2013/0220984and U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,972 each of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. In this example, the card flipper 50 isdisposed between the print station 48 and the radiation curing station52. This permits one side of the card 10 to be printed on, the card 10can then be flipped in the card flipper 50 and returned to the printstation 48 to print on the opposite side of the card, and then the cardcan be fed to the radiation curing station 52 to cure both sides of thecard. Alternatively, the card can be transported to the curing station52 after printing on the one side of the card to cure the one side, thenthe card can be fed back into the flipper 50 to flip the card 10 forprinting on the opposite side of the card 10 followed by curing of theopposite side in the curing station 52.

The radiation curing station 52 is configured to cure the radiationcurable ink applied to the card surface(s) in the print station 48. Inone embodiment, the curing station 52 cures the ink using UV radiationfrom one or more UV lights. The UV lights can be lamps or light emittingdiodes. The curing station 52 can be the same as the UV curing stationsused in drop-on-demand card printing using UV ink, or the curing station52 can be different from the UV curing stations used in drop-on-demandcard printing using UV ink. An example of a UV curing station that couldbe used is the UV curing utilized in the MJ7500 Card PersonalizationSystem available from Entrust Datacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn.,or the UV curing used in the CardGard™ UV-curing topcoat moduleavailable from Entrust Datacard Corporation of Shakopee, Minn.

The card output 54 can be a card output hopper designed to hold aplurality of processed cards that are output one-by-one after beingprocessed within the system 40. An example of a card output hopper isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,107 which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. Alternatively, the card output 54 can be anoutput slot through which individual cards are output one-by-one. In thecase of central issuance card processing systems, the card output 54 canbe the last element in the system 40 and located at the downstream endof the system 40. In the case of desktop card processing systems, thecard output 54 can be located at the downstream end of the system 40 insome systems, or even located at the same end of the system 40 as thecard input 42.

Many configurations of the system 40 are possible. For example, FIG. 3illustrates a system 40′ that is similar to the system 40 with likeelements referenced using the same reference numerals. In the system40′, the positions of the card flipper 50 and the curing station 52 areswitched so that the curing station 52 is between the print station 48and the card flipper 50.

The systems 40, 40′ can include additional stations not illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3. Examples of additional stations that can be included inthe systems 40, 40′ can include, but are not limited to, an embossingstation, a graphics printing station, an indent print station, a lasermarking station, and other processing stations that are well known inthe art of card processing. In embodiments where a laminate or coatingdoes not overlay the printed data, the systems 40, 40′ can be devoid ofa mechanism for applying a laminate or coating to the front surface 12or the back surface 22, or a mechanism for applying a laminate orcoating can be present in the systems 40, 40′ but the card can betransported past the mechanism without an overlaying laminate or coatingbeing applied.

FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of a system 80 that avoids the need for thecard flipper 50. The system 80 includes a first one of the printstations 48 and a first one of the radiation curing stations 52 on afirst side of the card transport path 70, and a second one of the printstations 48 and a second one of the radiation curing stations 52 on asecond, opposite side of the card transport path 70. In this embodiment,the first print station 48 can print on one side of the card, followedby curing of the radiation curable ink in the first curing station 52.The second print station 48 can then print on the opposite side of thecard, followed by curing of the radiation curable ink in the secondcuring station 52. As a result, the card can be printed on both surfacesin a single pass of the card without reversing direction of travel ofthe card along the card transport path 70 and without flipping the cardin a card flipper. The second print station 48 and the second radiationcuring station 52 can be disposed between the first print station 48 andthe card output 54.

In operation of the systems described herein, a plastic card having afront surface and a back surface is input and directed into the thermaltransfer print station 48. The print station 48 prints onto one of thesurfaces, such as the back surface, of the card by transferring aportion of the radiation curable ink from the thermal transfer printribbon onto the surface using the thermal printhead. After printing ontothe surface, the card is mechanically transported using a card transportmechanism into a radiation curing station, and radiation is applied tothe surface in the radiation curing station to cure the radiationcurable ink on the surface. If printing on the opposite surface isdesired, the card can be flipped and transported back to the printstation to transfer a portion of the radiation curable ink from thethermal transfer print ribbon onto the surface using the thermalprinthead, followed by curing of the printed radiation curable ink onthe opposite side as disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3, or printing can occurusing a second print station as described in FIG. 4.

The examples disclosed in this application are to be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not limitative. The scope of the inventionis indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription; and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

1. A plastic card printing method, comprising: inputting a plastic cardhaving a front surface and a back surface into a thermal transfer printstation that is configured for thermal transfer printing using a thermaltransfer print ribbon having radiation curable ink; printing onto atleast one of the front or back surface by transferring a portion of theradiation curable ink from the thermal transfer print ribbon onto thefront or back surface; after printing onto the front or back surface,mechanically transporting the plastic card to a radiation curingstation; and applying radiation to the printed radiation curable ink inthe radiation curing station to cure the radiation curable ink printedon the front or back surface.
 2. The plastic card printing method ofclaim 1, wherein the back surface includes a magnetic stripe, andfurther comprising printing onto the back surface by transferring theportion of the radiation curable ink from the thermal transfer printribbon onto the back surface at a position on the back surface betweenthe magnetic stripe and a bottom edge of the plastic card.
 3. Theplastic card printing method of claim 1, wherein the back surfaceincludes a signature panel, and further comprising printing onto theback surface by transferring the portion of the radiation curable inkfrom the thermal transfer print ribbon onto the back surface at aposition on the back surface between the signature panel and a bottomedge of the plastic card.
 4. The plastic card printing method of claim1, wherein the back surface includes a magnetic stripe and a signaturepanel, and further comprising printing onto the back surface bytransferring the portion of the radiation curable ink from the thermaltransfer print ribbon onto the back surface at a position on the backsurface so that the signature panel is disposed between the magneticstripe and the transferred radiation curable ink.
 5. The plastic cardprinting method of claim 1, wherein the radiation curable ink printed onthe front or back surface forms personal information of the intendedcardholder of the plastic card.
 6. The plastic card printing method ofclaim 5, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of anaccount number assigned to the intended cardholder and a cardholdername.
 7. The plastic card printing method of claim 1, wherein afterprinting onto the front or back surface, mechanically transporting theplastic card to a card flipper and flipping the card 180 degrees usingthe card flipper.
 8. The plastic card printing method of claim 7,wherein mechanically transporting the plastic card to the card flipperand flipping the card 180 degrees occurs before or after mechanicallytransporting the plastic card to the radiation curing station andapplying radiation to the printed radiation curable ink.
 9. The plasticcard printing method of claim 1, wherein the radiation curable inkcomprises a pigment or a dye.
 10. The plastic card printing method ofclaim 1, wherein a laminate or coating is not applied over the cured inkon the front or back surface.
 11. A plastic card produced using theplastic card printing method of claim
 1. 12. A plastic card printingsystem, comprising: a plastic card input and a plastic card output; athermal transfer print station between the plastic card input and theplastic card output; the thermal transfer print station includes athermal transfer print ribbon having radiation curable ink, a ribbonsupply that supplies the thermal transfer print ribbon, and a ribbontake-up that takes-up used portions of the thermal transfer printribbon; and a radiation curing station between the plastic card inputand the plastic card output that can apply radiation to a plastic cardto cure radiation curable ink applied to the plastic card.
 13. Theplastic card printing system of claim 12, further comprising a cardflipper between the plastic card input and the plastic card output thatcan flip the plastic card 180 degrees.
 14. The plastic card printingsystem of claim 12, wherein the radiation curing station is locatedbetween the thermal transfer print station and the plastic card output.15. The plastic card printing system of claim 13, wherein the cardflipper and the radiation curing station are located between the thermaltransfer print station and the plastic card output.
 16. The plastic cardprinting system of claim 12, wherein the thermal transfer print stationhas a plastic card throughput of at least 1500 plastic cards per hour.17. The plastic card printing system of claim 12, further comprising: asecond thermal transfer print station between the plastic card input andthe plastic card output; the second thermal transfer print stationincludes a second thermal transfer print ribbon having radiation curableink, a second ribbon supply that supplies the second thermal transferprint ribbon, and a second ribbon take-up that takes-up the secondthermal transfer print ribbon after the second thermal transfer printribbon is used; and a second radiation curing station between theplastic card input and the plastic card output that can apply radiationto the plastic card to cure radiation curable ink applied to the plasticcard
 18. The plastic card printing system of claim 17, wherein: thesecond thermal transfer print station and the second radiation curingstation are disposed between the thermal transfer print station and theplastic card output; the thermal transfer print station and theradiation curing station are disposed on a first side of a cardtransport path, and the second thermal transfer print station and thesecond radiation curing station are disposed on a second side of thecard transport path.
 19. The plastic card printing system of claim 12,wherein the radiation curable ink comprises a pigment or a dye.
 20. Theplastic card printing system of claim 12, wherein the system is devoidof a mechanism for applying a laminate or coating to the plastic card.21. A plastic card produced using the plastic card printing system ofclaim 12.